Application Procedure
Students who have completed work for a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution may apply for admission to the M.S. or Ph.D. program. Most students admitted to our Ph.D. program will have already earned a M.S. degree.
Applicants are assessed through a holistic review process based on experience, motivation, readiness and potential to engage in high-level graduate research and succeed in the program. This is initially based on review of personal statements, letters of reference, and prior academic and other relevant performance. Competitive applicants will further be reviewed through admission interviews and meetings. Applicants are strongly encouraged to reach out to potential faculty research advisors prior to application.
We expect that successful applicants will have a GPA>=3.00 on a 4.00 scale.
GRE scores are not required, but applicants have the option to submit them.
Minimum English proficiency test scores that are considered acceptable for our programs are: TOEFL iBT 90, IELTS 7, or Duolingo 125.
Application Requirements
All prospective graduate students must:
- File an on-line application form at https://illinoisstate.edu/apply/graduate/
- Arrange for official transcripts to be sent to the Office of Admissions and Records.
- Upload copies of the applicant's (1) Curriculum Vitae (i.e., résumé) and (2) Statement of academic and professional goals onto the Office of Admissions' website:
- Curriculum Vitae (i.e., résumé) — Your vita should include any information that will help the School to assess your potential as a student in our graduate program. It should include a summary of your educational background; previous employment or positions related to science; current status; research activities, including publications; and any other relevant information, such as memberships in professional societies and any honors and awards you have received.
- Statement of academic and professional goals — Your two-page statement of academic and professional goals should identify the general areas of research in which you are interested and the faculty member(s) with whom you have corresponded regarding serving as your possible thesis/dissertation advisor (i.e., faculty advisor). In addition, describe your plans after completing graduate school.
- Three letters of recommendation on official letterhead should be from faculty members or others who are familiar with your academic record or research and can evaluate your potential for graduate study. The Admissions website will contact each recommender directly and request the letter, which will be uploaded to the admissions website by the recommender.
International students also must:
- Arrange for their TOEFL or IELTS scores to be sent to the Office of Admissions and Record.
Choosing Area(s) of Research
As you prepare your Statement of Academic and Professional Goals, please consult other parts of the School's homepage to learn more about each faculty member's research program. You can access individual faculty members' homepages by clicking here on 'Faculty' on the School's homepage, or faculty members' names are listed under their research area click here for this information.
We do not admit graduate students without at least one faculty member who is willing to have the student in his or his lab. Thus, it is essential that applicants contact members of our faculty who work in your areas of interest and discuss whether they are taking new students, whether your interests overlap sufficiently with theirs, and what research topics are being pursued in their labs. This should be the first step in applying to our graduate programs.
We encourage you to contact those faculty members who are conducting research in areas of interest, explaining your background and your interest in their research area. By doing so, you will learn more about specific lines of research being pursued in each faculty member's laboratory. We also encourage you to arrange a visit to our campus, which will allow you to meet with faculty and graduate students to learn more about the School and the research opportunities that are available.
Financial Assistance
All applicants approved for admission are provided financial assistance in the form of a Teaching Assistantship (TA) or a Research Assistantship (RA), both of which include a monthly stipend and a waiver of one's graduate tuition. After students have been admitted to our graduate program, they will be given instructions to apply for the TA or RA online. You should not apply for a TA or RA until after you have been admitted to our MS or Ph.D. program. Please note: RAs are arranged through the faculty member directing your thesis/dissertation.
Deadlines
To receive full consideration for admission and financial assistance, please submit your required application materials to the Office of Admissions by February 1 for Fall Semester (August) admission.
Applications received after this date may be considered only if the admissions process has not yet been completed.
Have Questions or Need Help?
If you need assistance in completing the documents, or if you have questions about the application procedure or our graduate programs, please email Ben Sadd, Assistant Director for Graduate Studies.
Thank you for your interest in our graduate programs.
Ben Sadd
Assistant Director for Graduate Studies
bmsadd@ilstu.edu
Barbara Cox
Office Administrator
blreina@ilstu.edu